Relic /ˈrel.ɪk/ (noun); an object, tradition, or system from the past that continues to exist.

Rachel Whitfield was born in the small coastal town of Roanoke Rapids, and from a young age, fostered a love for ancient history and jewellery. After graduating from her small senior class, she decided to major in archaeology at Appalachian State University. Fascinated by old civilizations like the Byzantine Empire, the Greeks, and the Romans, Whitfield started studying how jewellery was made as well as the symbolism behind it all. As Whitfield was exposed to the historical beauty of her field of work, her creativity and a desire to create her own art began to grow. 

"I wanted to make my own [jewelry] that I liked," Whitfield said. "I wanted to figure out how to do that." 

Having no prior experience, she bought copper from the store, learned a few basic steps, and realized creating jewelry was all about experimenting. 

"And it's a very expensive experiment," Whitfield said. 

She would continue to teach herself the craft of jewelry making for the next few years before she was unexpectedly diagnosed with kidney cancer. 

"After I went through all of that, I decided I'm not going to wait anymore," Whitfield said. 

This new perspective on life gave Whitfield motivation to begin putting herself out there, saying yes, and applying for every opportunity that would show and sell her art. Eventually, Whitfield decided she was ready to open a shop of her own, and after patiently waiting over a year for a place on King Street, she was finally able to officially share her art with the public with the opening of Future Relics. Future Relics, in addition to becoming a place for Whitfield to share with the community, provided Whitfield with new opportunities to support other local artists alongside her. The name itself, Future Relics, is special to Whitfield. 

"It's a name that embodies what I love about history, but with a hope for the future and what we make of it,"  Whitfield said.

Appreciation for the art of the past often can motivate us to look toward the future, Whitfield believes, by inspiring us to make our own art that will one day become our history. Whitfield's background in archeology continues to influence her approach to her craft, and also, her approach to life in general.

"It's one thing I love; I never stop learning," Whitfield said.

The archaeological influence for Whitfield's jewelry is especially reflective of her lifelong interest in bygone civilizations. Whitfield mentions specifically "Ancient jewellery and their symbolisms and ancient Greek and Roman, especially mosaics" often serve as muses for her jewelry. 

As the High Country moves into spring, a time of renewal and growth, the beauty of nature that inspires Whitfield becomes evident in every bud and flowering bush. Living in Boone and watching the ever-changing seasons has always helped Whitfield shape her art.

Whitfield's utmost value as an artist is preserving significantly and making her jewelry unique. She's careful about how she views other artists and their work, wanting to keep it separate from her own. 

"We support each other, but I think it's really important to think on your own," Whitfield said. 

In a day and age when mass production has become dominant, the importance of appreciating handcrafted goods has never been more important. The innovation, originality, and creativity of artists like Whitfield is what will define our history to those who will one day brush away centuries of sediment to uncover our secrets, not the plastic wrappers and fast fashion floating in the seas. 

"The colors we can come up with, you know?" Whitfield said. "I was playing with stones today, just feeling what went together, and I thought: this amber, and then this turquoise... that's what's beautiful about handcrafted and handmade."